Refrigerator and temperature control device



Oct. 27,1936. v. w. MOODY 2,058,814 REFRIGERATOR AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE Filed March 9, 1955 Q M! lllvqh J; "11 l l'w i l U F 7 a} In M W R H k L IHI Q (\N Q IEIJ HU Awswroe 7 44?! Patented Oct. 27, 1936 REFRIGERATOR AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE Virginius W. Moody, Jackson Heights, N. Y., as-

signor to Reynolds Metals Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 9,

2 Claims.

The present invention has to do with refrigeration and relates particularly to a valve used in a brine circulating system.

It has been common to employ mechanical 5 valves in brine circulating systems. Such valves require packing and ordinarily use non-metallic facings in the valves. From time to time, adjustments are required and such valves are seldom leak-proof. The facings generally are of leather which is quickly devitalized because of the chemical characteristics of the brine. The leather warps or decomposes with a resulting inaccuracy in the seating of the valve. The systems that employ mechanical valves have difliculties arising from the presence of dirt and debris in the brine. Such dirt and debris has a tendency to collect in the valve to prevent the valve from properly seating.

Over these disadvantages, the present invention provides a system in which but one valve adjustment is ever necessary and that is the initial adjustment or assembly. There are no moving parts in the valve; there is no decomposition of the valve material; and the presence of dirt and debris does not effect its operation. There is no possibility of jamming the valve, there is no problem of leakage from warping, shrinking or improper adjustments, and the valve itself provides a safety measure not possible in any valve having moving mechanical parts.

The objects of the invention, among others, include the following:

A liquid valve suitable for use in the brine circulating system of refrigerating apparatus;

A valve free from mechanical parts and free from materials subject to decomposition in the brine of such a system;

A valve free from packings of any sort and suitable for use in a brine circulating system;

A valve in which mercury is substituted for mechanically moving parts and which is suitable for use in a brine circulating system; and

A novel construction for a mercury trap valve.

These objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, are obtained by the novel construction, unique arrangement, and improved combination of the several elements combined in the form of the invention schematically illustrated in the accompanying single sheet of draw The apparatus shown in the drawing is but one form which the invention may assume. The construction and arrangement of parts is a matter of great flexibility. It is possible to modify 1935, Serial No. 10,160

the various elements shown to provide a satisfactory circulatory system for the smallest of household refrigerators as well as for the largest of cold storage plantsw Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the drawing and in the description hereinafter given.

The schematic representation of a circulatory system embodying the subject matter of the present invention employs solidified carbon dioxide as a refrigerant. The gas which is released by the sublimation of such carbon dioxide energizes the circulating system. In the illustrated form of the invention, there is a container l having a cover II. There is between the container l0 and the cover II a suitable gasket 12 to make the container gas-tight when thedevice is functioning. Adjacent the top of the container I0 is an aperture to which a gas conduit I3 is connected. At the bottom of the container ID are two apertures. In the container and of suitable form and arrangement, is a coil l4, one end l5 of which projects through one of the apertures adjacent the bottom of the container. The other end I6 of the coil I4 projects through the second aperture adjacent the bottom of the container.

The connection of the gas conduit [3 and the insertion of the coil I 4 in respect to the several apertures in the container is such that there can be no leakage of gas between the. conduit 1 3 and container l0 and around the apertures through which the ends l5 and it of the coil project.

The system for circulating brine comprises a -conduit I! connected to the end iii of coil I l and a conduit l8 connected to the end i5 of said coil M. In the conduit iii are a number of coils H! which are disposed in the space, room or chamber to be refrigerated. Fromcoils IS, a suitable conduit 2|] extends for the return of the brine to the circulating system.

To urge the refrigerating brine into the conduit ll running to the coil 14 and to receive the brine discharged from the circulatory system, discharged from conduit 20, two tanks 2| and 22 are provided. These are generally superposed.

They may be in the form of a single tank having addition, there is a breather tube 24 which extends preferably from the top wall of the tank 2| to the open atmosphere. The brine discharge conduit 20 empties in the tank 2| preferably at or adjacent to the top thereof.

In tank 22, there is an aperture adjacent to the bottom thereof to receive the end of the conduit |1 through which brine flows to the cooling coil l4 within the container I0. Beneath the tank 22 is a mercury trap. This comprises a vessel 25 of relatively small capacity directly connected to the tank 22 by a conduit 26. The mercury trap 25 has a substantially flat bottom wall 21 which has thereina small depression or pocket 28. The pocket 28 is preferably shallow.

horizontal plane in substantial alinement with the flat wall 21 forming the bottom of the mercury trap 25. The end of the tube 29 preferably is about a quarter of an inch from the bottom of pocket 28 in a household refrigerator, the lowermost section of the tube 29 being about M inch removed from any adjacent mercury supporting surface. The tube 29 extends out of the top wall 30 of the mercury trap 25 through the bottom wall of the container 22 to contiguity with the bottom wall of the container 2|. As shown, tube 29 terminates in a furmel-like or flaring section 3| which has a vertical flange 32 thereabout.

I In the mercury trap 25, there is at the bottom of the pocket 28 a discharge orifice which is suitably sealed by a screw block 33 or the like and there is a vent at a higher level in the trap 25 sealed in the same manner by. screw block 34.

An air escape tube 36 may be disposed within the tube 29 connecting the tank 2| and the mercury trap 25. The lower end of the tube 35 is at a slightly higher level than the normal level of the mercury in the trap 25, the upper end of the tube 36 to extend into proximity with the top of the tank 2|. The upper end of the tube 35 should be above any possible level that the brine may reach in the upper tank 2| The air tube 36 permits of the escape of air which might otherwise be trapped in the tube 29 and which because of the mercury at one side and the brine at the other side might tend .to produce a seal in the tube 29 preventing the" brine from flowing freely downwardly in the tube 29.

There is a gas conduit |3, as previously indicated, extending from the container lo. Conduit |3 has one leg 38, extending to the upper sec-l tion of the tank 22. It has another leg 39 which extends to a temperature controlled gas valve 40.

The temperature control valve 40 when open al- Mercury is then poured into the mercury trap 25 through the upper vent in the trap 25. Thereafter the screw plug 34 for such upper vent is forced home to seal the mercury trap 25.

Th depth of the mercury pool should be slight even in large installations. A relatively thin submergence is desirable, say, one-sixteenth of an inch. The greatest depth of the mercury will be in the pocket 28 in the mercury trap 25 below the end of the tube 29. But one-sixteenth inch of the mercury in such pool should extend up the walls of said tube 29 from the bottom edge. This will result in a relatively shallow pool of mercury over the upper side of wall 21.

Suitable brine is then poured into the tank 2| through the vent therein. The quantity of brine is measured so that the amount is substantially the capacity of the lower tank 22. This will be less than the capacity of. the tank 2|. Such brine will flow into the tube 29 and downwardly into the mercury trap 25, The height of the column of brine will be such that it will displace the mercury in and collected about the lower end of the mercury tube. major portion of the brine will flow through the mercury trap 25, and flow upwardly into the tank 22, there remaining of course a relatively small quantity of such brine in the tube 29 above the mercury collected in the pocket 28. The" air pipe 36 is useful at this time and during the operation of the device to prevent trapping of air within the tube 29 and such tube prevents the possibility of the mercury, in conjunction with trapped air, forming a seal in such tube which would prevent the ready flow of the'brine through the tube 29 in the manner just described. After the cap 23 is placed on the vent in tank 2|, solidified carbon dioxide is then placed in the container HI and the cover fastened securely thereon to prevent the escape of gas.

The solidified carbon dioxide immediately begins to sublimate. In so doing, it builds up a gas pressure within the container l0. Such pressure extends outwardly through the gas conduit -i3 and into the upper section of the brine tank 22. The escape of the gas through the valve 40 is prevented for such valve is thermostatically controlled and will open only when the atmosphere thereabout has reached a predetermined low level. The thermostat is marked 31.

- As the amount of gas which sublimes from the solid carbon dioxide increases, its pressure increases and it establishes a pressure within the brine tank 22 equal to that within the container l0. Such pressure is distributed throughout the contents of the tank 22 and brine is forced therefrom into the cooling coil |4 within the container Hi to make room for the increasing volume of gas. Such pressure also effects the mercury in the mercury trap 25 and the mercury which is immiscible with the brine is forced upwardly in the tube 29. Asmercury is displaced upwardly in such tube from the pocket 28, the excess volume of mercury within the mercury trap 25 runs into the pocket so that until a certain definite limit of pressure is attained, only mercury will be forced upwardly in the tube 29. As the mercury is approximately thirteen times heavier than the brine, that is, has a specific gravity thirteen times greater than that of the brine, brine will be forced upwardly thirteen inches in conduit |1, coil l4, conduit I8, and coil |9[f01 every inch of mercury that is forced upwardly in the tube 29. If four inches of mercury are forced upwardly in the tube 29.

the brine in conduit |1, coil l4, conduit l8 and coil l9 will be forced approximately fifty-two inches, which is as great a height as is necessary in ordinary household refrigeration.

The'

the refrigerating coils l9 where there is heat exchange with the contents of the chamber within which said coils are disposed, through the discharge conduit 20 and into the upper tank at. As the brine is discharged into the tank til, the air therein is displaced therefrom and escapes by way of the breather M. The breather 2t, therefore, prevents any possibility of gas pressure into the tank 2|.

The thermostat 31 is disposed in such positive juxtaposition to coils it that before all of the brine from tank 22 shall have passed into tank H, such brine will sufflciently chill the thermostat t'l to open valve 4|). Should a single surge of brine through coil I9 not lower the temperature of the cabinet or chamber to the desired level, the then chilled thermostat M will quickly absorb heat from the chamber and expand to close valve 4|]. Another surge of brine will then be sent into coils Hi. This operation will be repeated indefinitely until the temperature of the cabinet or chamber has been reduced sufliciently to maintain valve 40 in a fixed open position and so permit the continuously sublimating gas to escape through vent 24. At any time during the movement of the brine, the atmosphere within .the chamber to be cooled has reached a predetermined low level, the thermostatically controlled valve will open and the gas in the container l0 and in the tank 22 and in the conduits therebetween will escape through the valve 40 and breather 24. The entire system will immediately be reduced -to atmospheric pressure.

.As soon as the valve 40 opens and the gas pressure within the whole system is reduced to atmospheric, whatever brine has collected in tank 2| flowsback through tube 29 into mercury trap 25 and then outwardly through tube 26 into tank 22. That part of the brine collected in the conduits and elsewhere in the system other than in tank 2| will flow back to tank 2|.

Should the thermostatically controlled valve 40 for any reason fail to work, no harm may result. As the gas pressures are built up in the tank 22, the brine is forced therefrom and even-- tually all of such brine above the level of the conduit I! will be driven from lower tank 22. When this occurs, the gas may escape through the circulatory system into the tank 2| and to the atmosphere by way of the breather 24.

Should the-circulatory system for any reason become clogged, the increased pressure in the tank 22 will be communicated to the mercury trap 25 and eventually all of the mercury in the trap 25 forced upwardly in the tube 29except a small quantity thereof which would remain in the pocket 28. When the amount of mercury forced upwardly in the tube 29 reduces the supply of mercury in the trap 25 to a predetermined amount, then brine will be forced into the tube 29 and eventually all of the brine will be driven from the trap 25 along with the mercury into the tube 29. When this abnormal condition is attained, then gas will follow the mercury and brine up the tube 29 bubbling therethrough and escaping into the tank 2| and from the tank 2i to the atmosphere by the breather 24.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A circulatory system for a cooling medium and comprising a storage tank, a discharge tank to receive the medium from said storage tank, a conduit between said tanks and having refrigerating coils therein, a return conduit from the discharge tank to the storage tank, means in said storage tank to receive a quantity of mercury for forming a well about the discharge end of said return conduit; and means in said discharge tank for trapping mercury forced out of said storage tank into said discharge tank through said return conduit.

2. A system for the circulation of a cooling medium and comprising a storage tank, a discharge tank above said storage tank, a conduit between said tanks and having refrigerating coils therein, a return conduit from the discharge tank to the storage tank, means in said storage tank for receiving a body of mercury, an end of the return conduit being immersed in said body of mercury, a conduit extending from within the return conduit to the atmosphere for the escape of gas trapped in said return conduit, means for increasing the pressure in said storage tank to force cooling medium therefrom through the refrigerating coil conduit and into the discharge tank, and thermostatically actuated means for reducing such pressure.

VIRGINIUS W. MOODY. 

